Sonic pump



Oct. 7, 1947.

W. S. INGLIS SIQNIO rum? Filed Oct. 21. 1944 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM S. INGLI S ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 7, 1947 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SONIC PUMP William S. Inglis, Rldgewood,;-N. J., assignor to Curtiss-Wright Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application October 21, 1944, Serial No. 559,819 12 Claims. (].103-75) The invention relates to a sonic pump of genview in vertical axial section of a preferred emeral application, wherever it is desired to transbodiment of the invention. port fluids of any kind, and the invention specifl- In the drawing there is shown a pump housing cally relates to pumping mechanism actuated by Ill of cylindrical form outlined by a cylindrical sending rapidly repeated wave impulses downwall H depending from a plate l2 provided with wardly through one wave transmitting column of openings i3 extending therethrough and for this non-flowingliquid for elevating a fluid from one reason sometimes hereinafter referred to as a location to another upwardly through another spider. The spider is provided centrally thereof column as from.a deep well to the surface of with a bore [4 of cylindrical form constituting the earth. a a piston guideway. The spider is provided cen- It has been known heretofore to transmit sonic trally thereof with an upstanding cylinder I5, the wave impulses downwardly through an upwardly bore l6 'of which is reduced intermediate its ends moving column of liquid to operate a sonic valve to form an a u ar-Stop ring T Portion at the intake end of the conduit acting to lift of the bore i6 between the shoulder ring l1 and th flowing column; It; h also been known to the bottom wall I 8 of the cylinder I5 forms a impose wave impulses on Such a m yalve' guidewayie in which reciprocates an oscillathrouh a nomflowin cdlumn of 11 um, Such as tor 20, the stem 2| of which is slidably mounted n g which n coglumn is t g and in the pressure chamber 23 formed between itarated from the column of fluid being pumped. Self and the spider T piston is integral The primary object of this invention is to prog b fi g and 22 $3 533 3 33:: vide an improved form of liquid elevating means on ea 6 a e r p t 1 1d of the sonic pump type, the improvement being 5 :5 a its ver movemen n e particularly in its manner of actuating the valves Th I e piston 22 is provided with a plurality of ther ft effect the um in rationb ra idl succz dii g elastic wgves 2f c o i ifression a nd Fare f g i g f g g ggif g g gg ggg faction, commonly designated as audible, sonic or nner en S o W c a e c u p conical valve seats 25. Normallyresting on each su ersonic vibrations and hereinafter collectively of the seats 25 is a check valve 25 Sometimes referred to as sonic vibrations.

hereinafter referred to as a sonic valveand here- Bnefly' the invention features the use of a 80 in shown to be of spherical form. For the pur- Piston type pump provided with one or more pose of limiting the extent of movement of each take Ports leading therethmugh' each Port of the valves off its seat. there is disclosed a mally Closed y a check valve a which Check restraining cage 21. This cage is of inverted valv a Op t y e reciprocal action of U-form' and has its legs 28 passed through and the piston, in turn vibrated by the wave impulses secured to the pump piston 22. P d in the -flow c lumn of l qu by It is the intent to locate the pump housing at mechanism p e Of ting at sonic frethe location from which the fluid is to be pumped, q y. such as the bottom of a well, and reaching there- Various other objects and advantages of the from to the surface of the earth are two long pipes invention will be in part obvious from a consider- 40 29 and 30 in telescopic relation. The upper poration of the method features in the disclosure tion of the pump housing is snugly intruded into and from an inspection of the accompanying the lower end of the outer pipe 29 and fastened drawing and in part will be more fully set forth thereto by a driven fit or by other approved in the following particular description of one means. The inner pipe 30 is of materially remethod of practicing the invention, and the induced cross" sectional area compared to the cross vention also consists in certain new and novel section of the outer pipe 29, and has its lower modifications of the preferred method and other end intruded into the upper end of the cylinder features of construction and combination of I 5 and abuts against the annular shoulder 3| parts hereinafter set forth and claimed. formed by the stop ring H.

In the accompanying drawing the figure is a The inner pipe 3|! is filled with some suitable fluid 32 capable of emciently transmitting the wave impulses of sonic frequency, and it is, herein sug ested that a light form of oil has proven satisfactory in situations such as is herein contemplated. The column of oil in the inner pipe also fills the portion or the chamber above the oscillator 20 so that there is a solid column of oil between the top surface 33 of the oscillator and the plunger 34 of a sonic vibrator 35. This vibrator is of any conventional form and the showing herein is simply symbolic.

The bores l4 and i 6 and the oscillator 20 and its stem 2! have suillcient length dimensions so as to defeat possibility of the oil in the column 32 flowing past the oscillator into the pressure chamber-23. As some oil-creep between the oscillator 20 and the walls of the guideway l9, the oscillator is lubricated and thus is free to be responsive to the high speed vibratory action herein featured. However, in order to insure nonleakage between the oil column and the column of fluid being pumped through the pipe 29 in all operative positions oi the oscillator a Syiphon bellows 36 telescopes a boss 31 depending from the spider l2 and also telescopes a boss 38 formed on the upper side of the pump piston. An intake screen or well casing 39 is shown with the lower portion of the pump housing I intruded into the same.

In operation, and assuming that the pump has been primed at least to the extent of there being shown in the drawing, the device is then ready-- for action. The sonic vibrator 35 is set in motion and an impulse is sent downwardly through the oil column 32 to lower the piston 22. A small portion of the fluid to be elevated is caused to enter the intake ports 24, pass the alternately opening and closing valves 26, the fluid so admitted passes through the pressure chamber 23, and upwardly through the ports I3 and through the annular space formed between the inner and outer pipes to the point of discharge at the earths surface, or elsewhere.

Described more in detail, it will be understood that on the initial downstroke of the vibrator plunger 34, a wave of condensation will be sent downwardly through the oil column 32 with the result that the oscillator is moved downwardly 'from its initial position. The downward movement of the oscillator will similarly lower the pump piston 22 into the body of fluid therebelow within the casing 39. This fluid reacts on the seated valves 26 to move them from their seated position into their elevated open position shown in the drawing. This movement causes some of the fluid below the piston to by-pass the valves and move into the pressure chamber. On the succeeding upward movement of the sonic vibrator piston, a wave of rarefaetion will be created in the oil column which will react on the oscillator to elevate the same slightly from the position shown in the drawing. This elevating movement will cause the pump piston to be similarly elevated, and this, in turn, will cause the fluid in the compression chamber 23 to react on the valves 26 and thus to move them'back into their initial seated position, thus intercepting the possibility of the liquid in the pressure chamber from retreating downwardly back through the inlet ports 24. This liquid in the pressure chamber is elevated by the raising of the pump piston, thus forcing a Portion of the liquid in the pressure 4 chamber upwardly through the ports [3 and into the fluid conduit as indicated by the long arrows.

It will be understood that this alternateraising and lowering otthe pump piston with its associated opening and closing or the valves will be repeated with each change of direction of the sonic vibrator piston.

By means of a device or this character, it is possible to effect an economic actuation oi. the sonic pump without loss of the actuating liquid in the oil column, and as this oil column is contained within the conduit for the pumped liquid, the whole device may be contained in a single well casing in the event that the device is used in well pumping. The disclosure features simplicity of parts, particularly in the movable parts which in efiect have been reduced to a single unit and which unit may be readily replaced, when worn, with a new unit.

I claim! 7 1. In a sonic pump for elevating fluids from a lower to higher location, the combination of two pipes in telescopic relation, the space between the inner' and outer pipes forming a fluid conduit for the fluid being pumped, a pump casing fitted into the lower end of the outer pipe, said pump casing including an apertured plate provided with a guiding opening extending axially therethrough and an upstanding cylinder into which the lower end of the inner pipe intrudes, a double headed oscillator including a stem slidably mounted in the opening for reciprocating movement, having its upper head slidably mounted in the upstanding cylinder and having its lower head slidably fitted in the pump casing, said lower head provided with at least 'one inlet port and a valve normally closing the port, and the portion of the inner pipe above the oscillator adapted to contain a column of non-flowmg fluid for transmitting therethrough Waves of condensation and rarefaction of sonic frequency for reciprocating the oscillator and thus in raising and lowering the lower head to alternately cause the'valve to open and close the inlet and means at the top of said column for imposing thereon waves of sonic frequency.

2. In a sonic pump, the combination of a closed tube adapted to contain a stationary column of liquid, an oscillator mounted for reciprocatory movement at the bottom of said column, means at the top of the liquid column for imposing waves of condensation'and rarefaction of sonic frequency on the column of liquid to cause wave formations in the secondary column to vibrate the oscillator, a pump casing provided with a plunger mounted for reciprocatory movement and operatively connected to the oscillator to be oscillated thereby, said plunger provided with an inlet port, and having a valve seat at the upper end of the inlet port, a check valve normally closing the inletport and means for limiting the movement of the valve off its seat.

3. A sonic pump including a pump casing, a plunger provided with an inlet port extending therethrough, means supporting said plunger for reciprocatory movement in the casing, a nor-, mally closed valve for alternately closing and opening the port, means providing anon-flowing column of liquid, means at the upper end of the column for imposing waves of alternate condensation and rarefaction on saidcolumn and means acted upon by said waves and con nected to. the plunger to oscillat the same and W move the plunger relative to its valve and to the material being pumped thereby to cause the valve to open as the plunger is lowered an to close as the plunger is elevated.

4. A sonic pump including means providing a stationary column of liquid, means at one end of the column for imposing thereon waves alternating of condensations and rareiactions, an oscillator at the opposite end of the column oscillated by said waves and acting at all times to close the lower end of said column, and a pump piston rigidly connected to the oscillator and oscillated thereby to effect a pumping action of sonic frequency.

5. A sonic pump including a pump housing having 'a depending cylindrical portion, a piston mounted for reciprocatory movement in the cylindrical portion, said piston provided with a passageway extending therethrough, a check valve normally closing the passageway, means forming a stationary column of liquid. a sonic vibrator operating on the column to impose thereon waves of alternate compression and rarefaction of sonic frequency, and means between the said member and acting to lubricate said member, and means for imposing sonic vibrations on the column to act therethrough and cause said pump piston to function.

7. In a device of the class described, a combination of two pipes in telescopic relation, a pump casing closing the lower ends of both pipes, a column of non-flowing liquid in the inner pipe,

the pump casing being provided with passageways for passing the liquid to be pumped into the space formed between the inner and outer pipes. a sonic valve normally closing the passageways and actuated by impulses sent through the liquid in the inner pipe for moving the valve off its seat and means for imposing waves of sonic frequency on the liquid in the inner pipe to actuate the valve.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of two pipes in telescopic relation, 8, column of non-flowing liquid in the inner pipe, the space between the inner and outer pipes providing a passage for the liquid being pumped means for creating in said column waves of condensation and rarefaction, a plunger actuated by said wave impulses in the non-flowing liquid column for lifting a, column of liquid upwardly through said passageway and a valve acting in synchronism with the frequency of said Wave impulse to prevent reverse movement of the liquid down-- wardly past the plunger.

9. In a sonic pump construction, the combination of two pipes in telescopic relation, a valvular unit fitted in the lower end of the outer pipe and including a plate provided centrally thereof with an upstanding cylinder into which is intruded the lower end of the inner pipe and said plate provided at its perimeter with a depending wall forming a depending cylinder, said plate provided centrally thereof with a bore forming a guideway connecting the cylinders, a, double headed oscillator having a head of relatively small diameter slidably mounted in the upstanding cylinder, a

, 6 head of relatively large diameter slidably mounted in the depending cylinder and a stem connecting the heads and slidably mounted in the bore forming guideway, the space formed within the depending cylinder and between the plate and large diametered head forming a pressure chamber and said plate provided with openings placing the pressure chamber at all times in open fluid communication with the space between the two pipes, said head of large diameter provided with at least one inlet port, a sonic valve normally closing saidinlet port, the inner'pipe and the portion of the upstanding chamber above the head therein being filled with stationary column of liquid capable of transmitting therethrough to the oscillator alternating waves of compression. and rarefaction at sonic frequency and means at the top of said liquid column capable of generating therein said waves of sonic frequency.

10. The structure defined in claim 9 in which means are provided for preventing possibility of leakage of said liquid past the oscillator into the fluid being pumped through the pressure chamber.

11. A pump unit for installation at the lower, end of a pair of telescoped pipes, comprising a plate provided with an upstanding cylinder, 9, depending cylinder and a bore extending through the plate and connecting the cylinders, a single double headed oscillator having one head slidably mounted in the upper cylinder and the other head -slidably mounted in. the lower cylinder and having a stem connecting the heads and slidably mounted in the bore, a fixed column of liquid, the upper cylinder containing the lower end of said fixed column of liquid in which the upper head is located, means for generating wave movement in the column of oil to vibrate the oscillator and means encircling the stem for preventing oil leakage from the upper cylinder into the lower cylinder. and valve means in the lower, oscillator head responsive to the vibration of said oscillator for admitting fluid to said lower cylinder.

12. In a sonic pump construction, the combination of two pipes in telescopic relation, 3, valvular unit fitted in the lower end of the outer pipe and including a plate provided centrally thereof with an upstanding cylinder into which is intruded the lower end of the inner pipe and said plate provided at its perimeter with a depending wall forming a depending cylinder, said plate provided centrally thereof with a bore forming a guideway connecting the cylinders, a double headed oscilmunication with the space between the two pipes,

said head of large diameter provided with at least one inlet port, a sonic'valve normally closing said inlet port, the inner pipe and portion of the upstanding chamber above the head therein being filled with stationary column of liquid capable of, transmitting therethrough to the oscillator alterhating waves of compression, and rarefaction at sonic frequency, means associated with said liquid column for generating therein said waves of sonic frequency, and means comprising a Sylphon bellows having one end fixed to the plate and the other end fixed to and movable with the head of 1,330,352 7 Sibley eta]. Feb. 10,1920

. 2,428,460 7 v large diameter for preventing the leakage of said I Name Date Rusdell Jan. 18, 1927 Bellacq Jl-XLZ, 1934 Cofley Man; 1942 Balnikov May 18, 1943 Bodine Aug. 15. 1944 FOREIGN" m'rrm'rs Chuntry I Date Germany --a. 1885 France 1908 Germany 1026 

